Tape-feeding machine



June 23, 1925.

1,543,183 C. G. MORTIMER TAPE FEEDING MACHINE Filed March 27. .1924 2Sheets-Shee'c 1 June 23, 1925. I 1,543,183

' c. G. MORTIMER um Paname MACHINE iied March 27. 1924 z sheets-shed 2.l Patented June k23, 1925i. 'd

UNITED .STATES CHARLES G. MORTIMER, or GLEN 'n.IDGE, NEW-JERSEY.

TAPE-FEEDING Application led March 27, 1924. Serial No. 702,421.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. MOR- TIMER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Glen Ridge, county of Essex, and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tape-Feeding Machines, of which the following is y a specification.

rlhis invention relates to an improved tape feeding and moisteningdevice which operates so that gummed tape usually made of stif paper andwhich is used for sealing packages and parcels is projected from themachine and cut ofi at the desired length. f

'lhe particular machine embodied in this invention is one that is easilyoperated and has also the advantage of maintaining its parts inalignment and in proper working order throughout long and continuousoperation, the structure being such that the parts are compactlyarranged and in which gears and a rack for actuating the feeding andmoistening rolls are constantly in mesh.

rlhe invention is also designed to provide a machine of this kind inwhich there can be a quick and convenient adjustment to provide foreither short or long lengths of tape delivered during one operationofthe handle.

rlhe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichFigure 1 is a vertical section taken on line 1 1 in Figure 3. Fie 2 is aside view of the machine. Figure 3 is a front view of the machine withthe cover shown in section and with the front plate'of the tank removed.Figure d is a side view of the front partof the machine, this view beingsimilar to Figure 2 except that the shield carrying the adjustingmechanism is removed. Figure 5 is a view of the other side of themachine with the shield on that side partly broken away. Figure d is asection taken `on line 6--6 in Figure 1. Figure 7 is a section taken one 7--7 in Figure 2. Figure 8 is a sectional detail of one of theclutches in the machine.

The machine consists of a frame which is provided at the hack with awell or other suitahle means for holdin the roll of tape 10. The frameis usual y made of side pieces 11 between which is supported the hottom12 of the well 13 although other means of securing the roll of tape canbe used.

the feed roll 14 and the feed roll 15 above it these being pressedtogether by the spring A'PA'lEN'r OFFICE. l

16 in each side bearing 17 of the roll 15.

These rolls operate in unison by, reason of the meshed gears 18 and 19connecting the shafts of the rolls, the roll 14 being secured to theshaft 2O which projects at one side ofthe machine and is operated from agear o 21, and a suitable clutch mechanism which is shown in detail inFigure 8.

The gear 21 is in the nature of a hub on the shell 22 which surroundsthe arms 23 secured on the end of the shaft 20. The face 24 of each armis tangential to the centre of the 4shaft and the rollers 25 are thuscaused to hind `when the shell 22 is rotated in one direction and thusvcarries the shaft 20 with it but when moved in the opposite directionthe rollers retreat and there is no transmission of movement from thegear to the shaft.

In front of the feed rollers and spaced therefrom are moisteningvrollers one of which is the roller 26 which does vthe actual moisteningsince it rotates with part of its surface in water in the tank 27. Theother roller 28 simply presses by its own weight on the roller 26, sinceits bearings ride freely in the slots 29 in the upper part of the sideplates 11 of the frame.

The roller 26 is mounted on the shaft 30l which is equippedwith a gear31 on the shell 32 similar to the shell 22 of the feeding roll 14 sothat the moistening roll also operates with the gear only in onedirection and is released therefrom when moved in the other direction.The gears 21 and 31 are in mesh with the rack 3ftwhich includes a plate33 having the pivotal holt 35 which passes through the frame of themachine and is fastened hy such means as acotter pin 36 .on the oppositeside.

The rack 34a is arc-shaped and being arcuate with the bolt 35 as acentre. The gears 21 and 31 are disposed so that they are in the path oftravel of the rack 34e and are always in mesh with it. The rack isyieldingly held in normal position by a spring 37 and is stopped on itsbackward movement by the stop' 38 -which is usually covered with rubberso as to deaden the noise.

The rack has a handle 39 which when pushed down swings the rack on itscentre the rack. This stop consists of a shield 40 1 which also acts asa cover for the curved rack and its associated parts and it has aswinging plate 41 underneath which Swlngs Vacross an opening or slot 42,one edge of which has the teeth 43.

The latch 44 is adapted to engage any one of these teeth, being mountedon the pivot 45 and having the spring 46 to press it nor- 4mally in.engagement with the teeth 43. On

the inner face of this plate which forms really part of the wall of theshield, is the stop 47 so that as the latch 44 which projects throughlthe slot 42 and forms a'finger piece, is adjusted it carries with it ofcourse,

-the stud 47 which is in the path of the stud 48 (see Figure 4) whichwhen it is brought forward by the operation of the handle 39 engages thesto 47. Therefore it will be evident that if t e rack 34* is onlypermitted to move a short distance ashort length of l tape will be fedforward or if allowedl to travel all or nearly all of its limit ofmove-` ment it will feed a longer length of tape.

When the handle is released and slips back into position, the clutchesof course, prevent the feed and moistening rolls from moving backwardbut this return movement cuts the tape oil' between the feeding and themoistening rolls.

In the form shown I show a fixed blade 49 which is fastened across themachine to the side plates thereof as will be seen from Figure 6 and themovable blade50 cooperates therewith to shear olf the paper, the blade50 being pivoted as at 51 and having on its free end the stout wire orsimilar connection 52 secured to the end of the bell crank 53 which isnormally pressed upward 'by the spring 54.

The tooth 55 is loose on itspivot and when the linger 56 and the plate33 swing forward it lifts this tooth 55 and the knife is not disturbed.On the return movement however, the tooth 55 abuts against a rojectionor stud 57 on the short arm of the Iliellcrank 53 which pulls down onthe wire 52 and causes the blade 50 to be sharply brought down to shearolf the tape.

The lingers 56 and the tooth 55 are close together so that even ifashort length ofI tape -is fed forward the parts are in position forcutting olf the tape on the return movement.. The parts are so disposedthat when the cutting is completed the finger 56 rides of'theend'of thetooth 55. l,

The tank. 27 is removable so that it can be easily refilled orcleaned,`l1aving at its rear end the socket 58 which has at the front anupwardly extended splash plate 59 to mslm/3,183.

prevent water from being splashed up against the tape before it is cutandis supported at its front end by the front plate 60 supported on oneor more feet 61 which A yas a guard or bearing for the knife when it ismoving upward, these plates being secured to a cover 68 pivoted at theback at 69 so that when the cover is raised these plates go with it andthere is ready access to the cutting device and the feeding andmoistening mechanism and new tape can be easily stared through themachine whenthe cover 1s o I arrange a loose roller 70 which ridesfreely between the plate 59 and the moistening roll 26 and acts to shedexcess water from the moistening roll so that nothing except the thinfilm necessary to thoroughly wet the gummed side of the tape, is carriedover by the roller.

In operating the machine after proper adjustment for the length of tapedesired has been made, the handle is pressed down which through therack, the gears, and the the required amount of tape when th'e fingersrelease the handle and the handle snaps back and as it approaches theend of its return ,clutches operates ,all the rolls and they feed.v

movement it has suliicient momentum to 'started there is no lost motionand the-feed-I aper is initiated as soon as the ing of the handle of t erack is pressed down.

I claim:

1. A ta e feedin machine comprising a frame to old a rol of tape, anarc-shaped rack pivoted to the frame, a pair of gears each gear being indirect and constant mesh with the rack, sets of rollers to be driven byAthe gears, and a clutch connection between .each ear and its set ofrollers whereby each set orollers can be rotated forwardly independentof its gear.

2. A tape feeding machine comprising a frame to hold a roll of tape, anarc-shaped rack having a handle thereon the rack being pivoted so-thatit can be swung, a set of feed rollers, a set of moistening rollers, agear on each set of rollers said gears being in constant mesh with therack, a knife, means for operating the knife from the rack on its returnmovement, a spring to cause such return movement, and` a clutchconnection between the set of moistening rollers and its gear so thatthe said rollers can be rotatedr` forwardly to release tlhe severed tapewhile the gear thereof and the actuating mechanism thereof is yieldinglyheld against movement by the spring.

3. A tape feeding machine comprising a frame forholding tape, a feedingmechanism, a moistening mechanism, means for. operating said mechanisms,a cutting device with a vertically movable lmife between the feedingmechanism and the moistening mechanism, a cover for the frame, saidcover including plates to prevent tape from curling out of its pathoftravel between said mechanisms and the knife.V

4. lA tape feeding machine comprisin a frame for holding tape, a feedingmec anism, a moistening mechanism, means for operating said mechanisms,a cutting device with. a vertically movable knife between the feedingmechanism and the moistening mechanism', a cover for the frame, Saidcover including plates to prevent tape from curling out of its `path oftravel between said mechanisms and the knife, the knife bearing againstone of said plates when it is elevated out of its cutting position.

5. A tape feedin machine comprising a frame having .a wel at one end forholding a roll of tape the frame having side plates at one end withbearings therein, feeding rolls mounted in the bearings, moisteningrolls mounted in other of said bearings, a

cutting device comprising a stationary blade and a movable blade aboveit to cooperate therewith in severing the tape, a gear and clutch on oneof the feeding rolls, a gear and clutch on one of the moistenmg rolls, apivoted arcuate rack in mesh with the gears and having a handleprojecting therefrom, a, shield covering the rack an clutches and havinga slot to receive the shank of the handle, a stud on the rack an'd anadjustable stop on the shield to limit the swinging movement of therack.

6. A tape feeding machine comprising a frame having a well at one endfor holding a roll of tape the frame having side plates at one end withbearings therein, feeding rolls mounted in the bearings, moisteningrolls mounted in other of said bearings, a cutting device comprising astationary blade and a movable blade above it to co-operate therewith insevering the tape, a gear and clutch on one of the feeding roll-s, agear and clutch on one of the moistening rolls, a pivoted arc-shapedrack in mesh with the gears and having a handle projecting therefrom,

a shield covering the rack and clutches and having a slot to receive theshank of the handle, a stud on the rack and an adjustable stop on theshield to limit the swinging movement of the rack, the outer wall of theshield having a slot therein with teeth on one edge, a plate pivoted tothe Wall, a latch on the plate, a spring to hold the latch against thetoothed edge of the slot the latch projecting through the slot to form afinger piece for releasing and adjusting the'plate, and a stop on theplate and in the path of movement of the stud on the rack.

. In testimony that I-claim the foregoing, I have hereto set my hand,this 22nd day of March, 1924.

CHARLES G.M0RT1`MER.

